


Transcript of Machina News, Episode 82

by kaerstyne



Category: Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: Dresspheres (Final Fantasy X-2), Gen, Interviews, News Media, Post-Canon, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 08:32:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18117137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaerstyne/pseuds/kaerstyne
Summary: [Exclusive] The creators of the dressphere give Machina News an inside look into how the technology works, and what we can expect to see from them in the future.





	Transcript of Machina News, Episode 82

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eida](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eida/gifts).



**Hello, Luca, and welcome to Machina News, your source for the latest updates on technological developments throughout Spira! I'm your host, Marelyn.**

**Last week we showed you an exclusive sneak peek at dresspheres, an up-and-coming sphere system that helps you quickly change skillsets—and outfits!—while you're fighting fiends. Judging by the overwhelming response we got, you all loved them as much as we did! So this week we're excited to bring you another exclusive: an interview with the creators of the dressphere! Please welcome Shinra, formerly of the Gullwings, and our frequent guest Lord Rin.**

Rin: Good day to everyone.

Shinra: Hi.

**Thank you both so much for joining me here today! The public response to the dressphere has been truly impressive. I don't think I've seen this much excitement for a new technology since the last time we upgraded the blitzball stadium.**

R: Indeed! We're honored by all the attention, and we hope for everyone's continued support as we finish fine-tuning the prototype.

**I'm sure you'll have it, if this crowd is any indication!**

[audience cheers]

**Let's get right into it. Shinra, we know you originally created the dressphere as part of your work with the Gullwings; how did you come up with the idea?**

S: I wanted to make something that would improve the Gullwings' combat skills, to give us an edge over other sphere hunters. The dresspheres helped Yuna and the others be versatile in a way other groups couldn't match. Plus, we had plenty of spheres lying around, so I had lots of material to experiment with.

**Fantastic! And on that note, here's a question I know a lot of our viewers who work with spheres have been dying to know: How _do_ you create spheres that give someone new abilities?**

S: I don't make them from scratch. They're just regular recording spheres. I use the visuals on the sphere to create cognitive schemas for different abilities, then add those back in on top of the recording. Then when you use the dressphere with a Garment Grid, the grid triggers the schemas and sends them to the user.

**That's amazing! Does it work with just any sphere?**

S: I could make _something_ with most spheres, but that doesn't mean it would be useful. It works best if you get a recording of someone performing the actions you want to transmit.

R: For instance, if you want to make a dressphere that confers swordfighting abilities, you would ideally want a sphere that shows a talented swordfighter demonstrating their skills.

S: Right.

**So what would happen if the same talented swordfighter used that dressphere?**

S: That's how I made the earliest versions. I recorded Paine defeating some fiends and then made that into the Warrior dressphere. If you do that it doesn't give you any techniques you don't know already, but it does help focus your skills.

**I can guess the answer to this already, but I have to ask: Any chance you could tell us more about how you convert the visuals into cognitive data?**

R: The details are proprietary, I'm afraid.

S: It would take forever to explain anyway.

**I suppose that's fair. Though in the interests of scientific advancement, I do hope you share the full process with us someday!**

S: We'll see.

**Speaking of proprietary, the dresspheres started off as an exclusive Gullwing technology—what made you decide to release them to the public?**

S: Money.

R: What Shinra means to say is that the two of us decided to become partners to further his scientific research. Quality research and development requires funding, after all, and I'm more than happy to provide it to see what Shinra can come up with. As the dressphere technology is already fully functional and merely requires a few changes to adapt it to mass production, this project will help us ease into the partnership and become comfortable working together, as well as build up our working capital for future projects.

**Fascinating! So how have the two of you been getting along so far?**

S: I think it's going pretty good.

R: Indeed, we've been working quite well together. I'm very much looking forward to our continued partnership.

**Great to hear! I hope Spira can see a lot more of your work.**

**You mentioned having to make changes to the dressphere technology for these new prototypes—what sort of changes were those?**

S: When I first developed the system, I knew the Gullwings would be the ones using it, so a lot of elements were made just for them. If someone else used Yuna's dressphere and Garment Grid, they would look like Yuna when they spherechange. In the new prototype, I don't know who's going to end up using the spheres, so I had to redesign them to keep the user's appearance. Stuff like that.

**That makes perfect sense! Though I'll admit, now I'm a bit sad I won't be able to run around and fight fiends as Lady Yuna.**

R: [laughs] If it is any consolation, we are going to keep the original Gullwings costumes, at least for the first production run. So perhaps you won't look like Lady Yuna, but you will be dressed like her.

**How exciting! Can you tell us which dresspheres will be available in that first run?**

R: We plan to release the Gunner, Thief, and Warrior models—that would be Lady Yuna, Rikku, and Paine's standard dresspheres, respectively—as well as the Songstress model, which I'm sure you'll remember from Lady Yuna's concerts.

**Of course! Though I doubt any of us would be able to copy those amazing performances, even with this wonderful new technology.**

R: Just so.

S: If I could figure out how to reproduce that with a sphere, that would be a _real_ scientific breakthrough.

**Can we expect to see more variety of dresspheres in later production runs?**

S: Depends how well the first one does.

R: Yes, we may produce some more of the Gullwings' spheres, if there is demand for it. We've also been in contact with several fashion designers about potentially designing costumes for all-new dresspheres. But the final decision will be made only after we can judge the success of the initial models. So, for all those who are interested in seeing new designs, do let us know by supporting this first release.

**Excellent! I'll definitely be looking forward to finding out what else you have for us.**

**On that note, I wonder if you could help alleviate a common concern for us. Since our review last week, we've had several inquiries from viewers regarding safety. There are concerns about people with no combat training using dresspheres, and possibly hurting themselves or others because their new abilities are too powerful for them to control. Will you be including any safety features or countermeasures to prevent that sort of problem?**

R: Ah, yes, allow me to put those fears at ease. Dresspheres do not instantly grant you the ability to execute new skills perfectly. The cognitive schemas that Shinra mentioned earlier will provide the knowledge and basic muscle memory needed, but using the most powerful abilities available will still require training, as with any other combat techniques.

S: They work on a kind of level system. You start off at a low level with only basic techniques, and you gain more the more you use the dressphere. You have to practice a lot to get the really high-level stuff.

R: Thus, new dressphere users are no more likely to cause harm than someone who has just picked up a sword for the first time. In fact, I would go so far as to say dresspheres are safer, in that they confer more of the basic knowledge needed to prevent injury to yourself.

S: Knowing how to use the skill means you also know how to avoid stabbing yourself while you do it.

R: Exactly that.

**Wonderful! I hope that helps reassure everyone that dresspheres will be perfectly safe to use.**

S: Well—

R: Yes. Perfectly safe.

**Well, it looks like we're about out of time. Thank you both for talking with me today! Any idea how soon can we expect to see dresspheres on the market?**

R: The precise date is yet to be decided, but we plan to release them this fall.

**Fantastic! Be sure to mark your calendars, folks!**

**This has been Machina News, with your host, Marelyn. Be sure to join us again next week, where we'll tell you all about those fabulous new hover bikes you've started to see along the Mi'ihen Highroad!**


End file.
